I care about you and the rest of the world, more than can be expressed on my portfolio website, so here we are. If you would like to view my work, please visit veronennis.com. I'd also love to hear from you, and for that I only request your honesty. Truth is everything.

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Dear Creative

I want to say something more like, “Dear Beloved,” because you are. You are those with a drive to create. You get ideas, you admire other creations, you create. This is not an inspirational letter to help you TO create, it is a heavy weighted, divinely backed, encouragement to create responsibly.

Wow, that may sound a bit repulsive to all of us counter-culture creatives right? Creating comes with responsibility? But wait, I’m free! I can create what I want! If you are a free creative, an artist who decides what he will be creating, then you have your own responsibility of what it is you are going to put out into the world. Who holds you accountable? You do, Society does, and God does. Having a conscience is a gift not to be ignored. Holding yourself accountable for what you are creating starts with your conscience.

Ask yourself: What affect on the world, however minor or major, will this work have once I create it, now and in the future? Is your conscience telling you, “perhaps this will disturb someone who is in crisis, instead of help them,” or “this looks as though I admire destruction.” Ask, then, how can I send my message peacefully, with tact, with grace, with deliberation, with conviction, and in turn create a POSITIVE outcome.

There may not be a perfect piece of art that only creates a positive outcome with every person who encounters it, however, an honest attempt should be made each and every time a work of art is created and released into the world.

This can and will be debated. How do you express pain and suffering then, which is our truth as human beings? With great tact. VIRTUE is of the utmost importance in life. If you are creating miserable art, then you are likely miserable and communicating your truth. Side note: If you are creating misery with your work and you are not miserable, you are attacking society and should seek help.

Perpetual misery is a plague, and when we are miserable we want at our core to not be miserable, though the age old saying that says, “Misery loves company,” dictates that we want to stay miserable. This occurs because it takes on a life of it’s own as a victim, and a whole host of excuses why not to work or ask for help repeats themselves, and this emotional disease tries to ultimately destroy us as human beings.

That being said, one step at a time, seek what is light. That is what we as artists can provide to our family of humans. Light. Be a creator of light for the miserable. Those getting professional help, in programs, those practicing their faith, work towards giving to those in need. Charity. And the charity keeps them from misery. Your charity as an artist is to give light through your work.

This is the first letter I’ve written to you and so it is only a summarization of what we can discuss at length, any part of this artist theology. I look forward to exploring this with you and growing in virtue as we strive for our own artistic perfection.